Bitter Betrayal
by Minxii
Summary: After Five long years, Inuyasha has grown into a rebellious young man and Rin has had to raise a child on her own having been forbidden from the lands of the child's father. What is to happen after Inuyasha stumbles across her one day and decides to take responsibility for his cold hearted brother's mistake? (Read Sweet Shackles before reading this if you haven't already.)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**-Inuyasha's POV-**

"Oh wow this is so good!" I sighed in bliss as I took another bite out of the freshly made homemade bread the human villagers had given me a little while back.

They were always so kind to me because of the fact that I was the _**son **_of the great and kind demon lord that granted all of the humans of the lands he ruled over freedom from their demon Masters and Mistresses.

I pulled another slice of bread from the sleeve of my kimono and placed it in my mouth… I wished the cooks back at the castle were as good as the human cooks. Then again demons didn't really have to eat so why would they even have to know such a useless skill to them? I sighed mentally to myself… It sucked to be a half demon living in a demon oriented castle sometimes.

As I neared the castle of the West, my ears began to lay flat against my head and I let out a tired groan as I felt that _**he**_ was apparently waiting on me at the front gates of the castle. And _**he**_ was most likely displeased with me again that I ditched my lessons to frolic among the humans again… It wasn't my fault that I was much more comfortable with humans than I was with demons…

"Inuyasha…" He said in that mono-toned voice that irritated the living hell out of me.

"Yeah Sesshomaru..?" I sighed with a roll of my eyes, mentally preparing myself for yet another lecture as I pulled another slice of bread from my sleeve to shove it in my mouth.

Sesshomaru slapped the slice of bread from out of my hands before it could even reach my lips and slammed his foot down on it as soon as it hit the ground. He was clearly annoyed with me that I wasn't taking him as seriously as I should yet again.

"Hey!" I snapped, angered that he ruined my last slice of bread. "What the hell was that for ya bastard?!"

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes as he looked at me with all of his dismay that I have yet again taken to disrespecting him again. "You have been spending far too much time in the human villages; even your language has become tainted and vulgar." Sesshomaru began his lecture. "You shouldn't be wasting time with them, you should be studying. You are next in line to rule over both the lands of the West and the East."

"I never asked for that. Besides, you are not my father, I don't have to take the throne if I don't want to." I protested, looking off to the side as I folded my arms across my chest.

Even though he didn't show it, his aura began to flare with clear irritation. He might have even been regretting that he offered me the truth about our old man to begin with. "I was the one to take you in and care for you as if you were my very own Inuyasha, even when your father did not."

I knew it was the truth , but I shrugged it off, keeping my gaze off to the side. "I really don't care what you say Sesshomaru, I know the old man did care about me."

"I will not continue this conversation with you again Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said as he turned his back on me and headed back inside the gates of the castle. "Come to class in the morning. On time."

I scoffed and turned in the opposite direction of the castle, running away from it at top speed. Just who the hell was he to tell me what to do anyway?

**-Sesshomaru's POV-**

I sighed mentally; I could feel that Inuyasha wasn't following me back inside the castle. Instead he was gaining great distance away from it. Oh how I missed the young pup that only five years ago looked up to me unwaveringly and enjoyed his training immensely. I closed my eyes thoughtfully as I walked through my late mother's garden…

After I had forced Rin to leave the castle, Inuyasha started to become noticeably distant, but I had no time to confront the matter. In the process of slaying both Yumiko and her father, I had left the land of the East without rule. I had to take over before the savages of that land could become out of hand. It took two long years to enforce my rule… and by that time, Inuyasha had grown so much into a young man that seemed to resent me and everything I seemed to do. I still choose not to address the matter, thinking it was but a rebellious faze that he would soon grow out of and I still had much work to do with controlling two lands at once, I needed to come up with a system that would help me with much ease. Three more years have passed and Inuyasha is seventeen years of age, he is now a man and he has yet to show signs of halting his rebellion against me.

I sighed openly as I stood in my mother's garden… Was it a wise choice on my part to force Rin to leave even though Inuyasha was so attached to the girl? I closed my eyes for a moment of thought before opening them again. Of course it was the right thing to do. The girl was a curse that caused nothing but misfortune to befall my family. If I wasn't careful, something terrible could have happened to both me and Inuyasha. I only wished that Inuyasha could see that and understand my judgment and choice in the matter.

**-Rin's POV-**

I placed the last tomato in my handcrafted basket, looked up at the early afternoon sky and with a sigh I ran the back of my hand against my sweat drenched forehead.

"Geez… It's noon already?" I sighed to myself as I picked up my basket full of veggies and lifted myself off the ground. I turned towards the small hut I had built myself a few years ago when I heard Kiki's loud meow of excitement.

"Mama!" Tsukiko shouted out excitedly as she and Kiki shot out of the hut. "Aunt Sango is coming!"

I balanced the basket of vegetables on my hip and wrapped my arm around it, pulling my now free hand to my mouth to conceal an amused giggle. "My, now how do you know Sango is coming Tsukiko?" I asked my daughter.

Tsukiko curiously tilted her head back and gave the air a sniff, her long silvery hair starting to tickle the earth. "Because I remember how she smells mama."

"Her sense of smell is getting pretty sharp."

I turned towards the woods to see Sango emerging from behind a bush, tightly holding onto her left shoulder. Kirara let out a loud mewl as she leaped over the bush to tackle and play with Kiki.

"Aunt Sango!" Tsukiko cheered happily as she ran over and attached herself to the demon slayer's leg.

"Hey there little moon princess." Sango said warmly. Lightly giving the blue crescent moon in the center of Tsukiko's forehead a poke with her index finger, causing Tsukiko to giggle and look up at her fondly.

"You seem to only come by when you get yourself hurt and need some healing." I teased my dear friend as I approached her, examining the blood stains on her form fitting black suit.

Sango blushed and laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "oh, that's not it at all. I have been trying to come by more often to check on you two, but requests of demon slaying have been sky rocketing lately, I barely have any time for myself anymore these days."

I gave a small sigh, unzipping Sango's suit from the back and moving the suit away from her shoulder so I could look more closely at the slightly deep gash there. "I know, I have been hearing rumors that most demons want to start back up with the uprising again and trying the rebel against the lord of these lands."

"Mama." Tsukiko said, bringing us both to her full attention, "What's _**the uprising**_?" She asked, curiosity peeked in those sharp golden orbs of hers.

I gave her a soft smile… I would never want her to know about such a thing at her age. I wouldn't ever hope she would have to go through the same things as I did when the first uprising had broken out. "Hey Tsukiko, I bet Kiki and Kirara are wondering why you aren't playing with them."

Tsukiko turned to look at the two kittens rolling around on the ground, friskily playing with each other. She wasted no time in running over towards them and playing with them. Sango let out a small sigh as she watched Tsukiko go play with the kittens. I looked up at her with concern in my eyes.

"What's the matter Sango?" I asked the young demon slayer as she continued to stare longingly at Tsukiko.

"Hey Rin… Do you think I will ever have a chance to settle down?... Start a family of my own someday?" Sango asked as a small sad smile began to form on her lips.

For a long while now, Sango has been harboring a deep fear of becoming an _**old maid**_. The Men in her village both respected and feared her. Respected her because her father was the village chief and feared her because of her great strength for a female warrior. It seemed to be a bad quality for a wife who they wanted to merely be submissive to them and bare children for them. They wanted a wife that would have a hot meal ready for them after a long day of demon slaying, but Sango was the warrior who always insisted to be on the front lines herself.

"Don't worry Sango," I said with a reassuring smile. "I'm sure the man of your dreams is just around the corner, closer than you think."

"Yeah… I guess you're right." Sango said as she returned my smile.

"Hey Sango, how about after I take care of your wounds we go into the marketing village and buy some meat to make soup out of? Me and Tsukiko would love to have you over for dinner."

"That sounds great, I could really use something to eat right about now."

**XXX**

As Sango and I entered the marketing village, we noticed quickly that almost all of the women here seemed to be gushing and flocking over towards one area of the village.

"What's all the commotion about here?" Sango asked herself outloud.

"I don't know." I answered her. "But it must be really amazing to make this peaceful village all sturred up."

As we drew closer towards the center of the village, more and more women seemed to be crowding the streets along with a few men with angered and jealousy filled gazes.

"Oh my! Your palm shows much promise indeed." A male voice suddenly rang out over all of the gushing women's voices.

"The monk has found another with a wonderful fortune!" A woman just ahead of us fawned. "There is hope for the prosperity of this village yet! I want my turn next!"

"A monk huh?" Sango said with a bit of confusion in her tone. "Wonder why that is so exciting."

"Hey Sango!" I said excitedly, turning to face her.

"Yeah?" Sango tilted her head to the side curiously.

"Maybe this monk can predict your future that you're so worried about."

"I-I don't know about that Rin, I-"

"Come on!" I grabbed ahold to Sango's hand and dragged her along with me as I pushed my way through the ocean of fawning women to reach the fortune telling monk. Most of the women were upset that we were _**cutting in line**_ and others were way too focused on the monk to even notice of doing it.

**-Sango's POV-**

"Rin…" I whined as the enthusiastic girl rushed me forward to the front of the crowd to meet this so called monk. I had a very bad feeling about this whole ordeal.

Once we reached the front of the crowd, we were met with a man. He wore the robes of a monk, but he sure as hell didn't look like any monk I've ever seen. The monks I've ever seen were old bald men, but this man was very young, maybe a year older than I was with his hair pulled back into a small ponytail. I could tell by how he smiled at me that this was a lecherous man. No way was this guy an actual monk!

"Hello there ladies." The monk greeted both Rin and I with that eerily confident smile on his face.

It was at this moment that I realized that I was staring down at this man way too long and with way more intensity than I meant to. I could feal my face heating up with embarrassment as I quickly turned my gaze off to the side, refusing to acknowledge him at all.

"Hi there kind monk!" Rin spoke up cheerfully, "This is my best friend Sango and she is worried about her future, can you tell her if it will be good or bad to ease her worrying?"

I mentally face palmed myself… Rin was a sweet and clearly naïve girl and I knew she was only trying to help me out, but why did she have to come in contact with a clear con man and tell him my business like this?

The monk smiled cheerfully, "Oh, a young lady such as yourself should have a _**very **_prosperous future ahead." The monk said with his hand held out towards me, obviously wanting me to place my hand in his.

I down right refused to even touch this man, only the Gods themselves know where his hands may have been.

"Come on Sango…" Rin encouraged me with a small push to my shoulder. "This may be your only chance to really know what will happen with your future for yourself. Just give it a try, it can't hurt."

I gave a roll of my eyes and a small sigh. There was absolutely nothing this man could tell me that I didn't already know for myself… But, I suppose it wouldn't kill me at all to give it a try… for Rin. "Fine…" I sighed removing the cloth that covered the center of my hand and placed the back of my hand into his awaiting palm… it was surprisingly warm.

I shuddered lightly and began to feel the small pink blush was creeping back across my face as the monk lightly traced his fingertips over my palm… Why did it feel like he was trying to be seductive while he was doing it?

"Oh my my my." The monk said with a soft chuckle.

"Wh-what is it?" I asked with worry as I looked down at my palm, "Is there a bad omen?"

"No, not at all." The monk said happily with an amused laugh as he looked up at me with a bright smile on his face. "In fact it says here that you will very soon be settling down with a good man, baring many healthy children."

The mere thought of that caused my blush to deepen even more and I placed my free hand on my cheek in a vain attempt at trying to make it stop.

"See Sango!" Rin cheered happily, "I told you so!"

I was so distracted by such a good fortune and the thought that someday soon I will find my perfect husband. A strong honorable man who can hold his own against demons and hold his head up high and proudly before the people of my village… Just like my father, I didn't notice that the monk had taken my hand confidently into his and got down on one knee. It was only when the women of the village began to roar with jealousy and excitement that I looked back towards the monk. I turned at least ten shades of red… It looked like the monk was actually getting ready to propose to me…

"I'm sorry if this seems to be a bit too forward miss…" The monk began, a warm hopeful look in his mysterious purple eyes, "But would you do me the great honor…"

No, no, no. This can't be happening! This was way too sudden! Maybe he was just going to ask me to be his girlfriend… Though I don't think I would mind being married to him, he is a very attractive man… No, wait! What the hell am I thinking?!

"…Of baring many of my children?" The monk finished.

The shouts and cheers of the village women became even louder, almost flooding out my sudden embarrassment and rage for such a vulgar question to ask a complete stranger.

A loud smack echoed throughout the village after I slapped the perverted monk across the face as hard as I could. "No, of course I won't! What kind of a woman do you take me for?! I don't even know your name!" I snapped as I snatched my other hand away from him.

The monk stood, absently rubbing his hand against the sore red hand shaped mark on his face. "Well, if that is the only problem… My name is Miroku, and your name is?"

"My name is Sango but that is hardly the point! As if I'd ever bare a child for some lecherous monk! Besides, what kind of monk are you anyway? I bet you have asked half of these women that very same question!"

The monk tilted his head to the side like an innocent child, "Is that a bad thing?"

My face reddened with outrage.

**-Rin's POV-**

I giggled nervously as Sango started to quarrel with yet another man right in the middle of town. How was she ever going to settle down and have the family she wanted when all she wanted to do was fight, fight then fight some more?


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**-Miroku's POV-**

Ever Since I left the temple I was raised in and started my long journey of enlightenment, I haven't ever met a woman quite like this before. I absently placed my hand back onto my still stinging cheek where she had not too long ago struck me and watched as she stormed off with her excitable, yet somewhat timid friend… Sango, she said her name was? I shall question this village about her; surely she comes here quite often if she lives nearby.

I closed my eyes for a moment to get a good clear vision of her in my mind. Long silken brown hair that was pulled up into a high pony tail, light brown eyes that revealed her feral cat likeness. Her black battle suit that clung tightly to her body, expressing how well built and shapely she was along with pink armor pads on her shoulders, knees, and abdomen. I could tell she was quite strong by her choice of weapon that she carried on her back. A giant smooth textured boomerang that was just about as tall as she was… If that was indeed a weapon, it had to have been quite heavy.

She seemed to be a warrior of some sort now that I thought about it. Though women are still quiet exotic and strange to me, I knew warrior women were a rarity to come across. I grew up far north in the mountains and was raised in a temple by the monks who inhabited the temple. I was told I was found not too far away from the temple, crying up a storm in the woods. The monk who became like a father to me and my trainer, Takao-sama, found me next to the corpse of my dead mother who seemed to have died of blood loss from a large wound in her chest. All of the monks of the temple were sure that a demon must have gotten ahold of her and she had traveled as far as she was able to get me to safety.

Two years ago, on the day of my twentieth birthday and when the news had reached us that the uprising of the demons was banned by the demon lords that ruled that ruled over the East, West and the North, I left the temple to start a journey of enlightenment. Being curious of the world outside the temple, I was like a new born babe. The lifestyle of people outside the temple was both fascinating and addicting… Most addicting to me were the women. The opposite sex was… Just something new to me entirely and the things they made me feel were something I simply could not put into words.

Though over these two years, they all began to blend together… They all seemed to be the same wherever I went. It became too predictable and it was beginning to bore me just a bit… Until I met her today. She was unlike any woman I have met since I left the temple. She was beautiful, strong and unpredictable. I wanted to get to know her better, I wanted to see if I could get to understand her ways and why she did it.

**-Inuyasha's POV- **

"Getting Late..." I yawned as I placed my hands behind my head, continuing my walk randomly through the woods.

I was way too far from the castle to even think about walking back before night fall... And I knew by how weak I felt during the day that tonight was the night of my weakness, the night of the new moon.

"I hope I come to a village soon. Sure don't want to be out in the wilds at night when I turn into a weak human." I murmured to myself as I watched the sky glow orange and pink as the sun began to hide behind the nearby mountains.

My ears perked when I heard the sounds of a young girl giggling. Just what was a little girl doing out in the woods alone when it's damn near dark out? I quickly followed the sounds of the giggling girl, maybe there was a human village nearby and this child could possibly show me the way as I returned her to her most likely worried parents.

As I drew closer, I noticed a shabby shack with a small fire built out in front of it, a pot sitting on the fire and giving off the wonderful aroma of the soup inside. I hoped that whoever took up shelter here was generous towards travelers.

My hair began to stand up on end when I caught the slight wiff of that familiar scent. It almost smelled like Sesshomaru... Had he come to bring me back to the castle?... But I also caught another scent. It was familiar as well, thought I just couldn't put my finger on who it belonged to. I took in another intake of breath, trying to force myself to remember, but I could no longer smell anything except for the soup. I reached up and placed my hands on top of my head, trying to feel for my Inu ears... But they were gone. I moved my hands to the sides of my face and tugged at the lobes of my now human ears.

"I hate the night of the new moon..." I sighed helplessly as I hung my head.

"Hey Mister."

"Gah!" I nearly jumped right out of my skin at the sudden soft voice that addressed me.

I looked down towards where the little voice had come from and my eyes widened in disbelief. Standing before me was what looked to be a miniature version of Sesshomaru, minus the scarlet markings and elfin ears, but a perfect replica of the blue crescent moon in the middle of her forehead... Sesshomaru had once told me that the moon was a sign of the first born child of royal blood in Inu demons... Could this little girl be...?

"Tsukiko!" I heard a woman call out to the child, clearly upset.

I glanced up to see two women The one on the right wore a tight black outfit with pink shoulder, knee and abdomen armor, a red strap tied around her waist to hold her sword and carried a large boomerang on her back. Was that thing suppose to be a weapon? Her dark brown hair was pulled up into a high ponytail and she held a untrusting scowl on her face as she glared at me that caused me to cringe a bit. The woman on the left... She look oddly familiar... Her dark black midnight hair... Her fair lightly tanned skin, those warm caring brown eyes...

"Rin..." I softly murmured to myself only loud enough for me to hear.

"Mama!" The small girl that resembled Sesshomaru, Tsukiko I heard that frightening woman call her, said as she ran over towards Rin and attached herself to her mother's leg.

"Tsukiko." The scary woman said to the child, "What have your mother and I told you about talking to strangers?"

"But Auntie Sango~" Tsukiko whined, "He doesn't look dangerous at all, he just looks a little lost."

I couldn't help but feel a little irritated. In my human form, I was nothing but a "lost" weakling that even children pitied and wanted to help.

**-Rin's POV-**

Why did this man seem so familiar to me? I took in his features for a moment to see if his identity would somehow leap into the front of my mind eventually. He had long wild onyx hair, dark carefree brown eyes and wore a loud red kimono... That kimono... Why did it seem more familiar to me than the actual person that wore it?

"Are you lost sir?" I asked the strange man, stepping up towards him.

The man rubbed the back of his head nervously and looked off to the side, "Ye-yeah... Sort of."

I gave a small smile and a welcoming gesture of my right hand. "You're welcomed to stay the night here and continue you journey in the morning sir."

"Rin!" Sango began to scowl at me. "You have a daughter, you can't just let strange men stay in you're home like that!"

I turned to Sango with a eased warm smile, "Sango, it's fine. If something was wrong with him Tsukiko would be the first to know. Besides, maybe if you start trusting men a little more you'd find that perfect husband you've been longing for." I teased.

Sango turned a deep shade of red, huffed, then turned away as she folded her arms across her chest. I giggled a little, she always did that when she was embarrassed.

**XXX**

**-Inuyasha's POV-**

It wasn't long after supper that everyone started to go to bed for the night. Rin surprisingly really knew how to cook and I didn't hesitate to ask for thirds... I sat on the right side of the small hut with my back against the wall, holding Tessaiga tightly in my hands while Sango, the frightening demon slayer woman, sat with her back against the corner opposite to me... She was oddly alert for some reason. In my human form, was I really that much of a threat to her? Rin and her daughter Tsukiko lay in the middle of the hut, all curled up under a old looking, but clean kimono.

_'I can't believe it's been five long years...'_ I thought to myself absently. it seemed like only yesterday when I witnessed Sesshomaru strike Rin and send her away from the castle on her own in the middle of a bloody war over the lands of the West and the East... And to make it worse it appears that Rin was with child when he had sent her away so coldly. Did Sesshomaru know about the child? Did he know that Rin was out here on her own rising a half demon daughter in a old run down shack in the middle of the woods? I will never forgive him if he does know... Even if he doesn't I still can't find it in my heart to forgive him for what he had done to Rin that day years ago.

During the meal, Rin didn't really ask me a thing, though she seemed to be busy paying all of her attention to her child and all she had to say about her day while her mother was away shopping. From time to time, I'd see her trying to sneak glimpses at me... I could tell she thought she knew me from somewhere, but couldn't find it in her mind where she had possibly seen me before. She didn't remember who I was... But then again how could she? Rin has never seen me in this state before, I doubt she even knew that I could even turn human during the night of the new moon. If she were to ask me directly, what should I say? Should I tell her who I am? Something inside me told me I shouldn't... What if she hated me for what my brother had done to her...? The Gods forbid... But what if Sesshomaru found out where she was?

_**"If I am to ever catch sight of you again, I will kill you..."**_ Sesshomaru's last word to Rin began to echo in my mind, causing me to grasp onto Tessaiga tighter... I couldn't allow that to happen...

Before day break, I will leave this place at once and never come back... For Rin's sake...

"Why are you staring that them so hard." Sango's voice echoed across the room accusingly.

She was still awake? I hadn't even realized I was staring at Rin and her daughter so intensely... I turned my head to the side, "Mind your own damn business..." I murmured.

"Stop being a pervert." Sango shot right back at me.

I scoffed and began to close my eyes, murmuring once again but to myself, "You have no idea what you're talkin' about."

She either didn't hear me or choose to ignore me, because I didn't hear anything else from her the rest of the night.

**XXX**

I opened my eyes to see the sun rising from behind the shabby looking straw door of the hut.

"Damn it..." I groaned to myself as I quickly began to stand up, placing Tessaiga back in my obi. "I must have fallen asleep."

I took one final glace at Rin before ripping my gaze away and exiting the hut before anyone else could wake up. Now that I was back in my half demon form, I'm sure that Rin would easily recognize me. I sighed and began to leave the hut, pushing the straw door aside with my left arm, letting the morning sun flood over my skin. I was almost to the edge of the clearing, about to head back into the forest when my ears lightly twitched on top of my head. I could hear something hurling towards me and fast. I turned to see that giant boomerang the demon slayer woman carried as a weapon spinning and slicing through the air towards me. I jumped just enough into the air to avoid the weapon, glancing behind me to see it slice through the trees like paper before it began to return to it's owner. She caught the weapon amazingly with one hand, giving me a frustrated scowl.

"Hey!" I shouted out at her in clear annoyance, "Watch where you're swinging that damn thing! You could have killed me!"

"I knew there was something up with you." Sango snapped at me, ignoring what I had said to her completely.

"Sango..." Rin yawned as she pushed the straw door aside, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, "What's with all of the commotion...?"

"Go back inside Rin." Sango ordered the girl. "That traveler you decided to trust out of the kindest of your heart decided to show his true form."

My eyebrow twitched in irritation, This woman was seriously starting to piss me the hell off.

"True form?" Rin asked groggily as she turned her attention over towards me.

I swallowed hard and my heart began to race as her eyes began to widen in recognition. She stood there looking me over for a moment before words finally began to form across her lip.

"Inu... Inuyasha...?"


End file.
